800-991-3645
800-991-3645What You Should Know About Hazmat Cleanup
Hazmat cleanup requires much more than a mop and bucket. Situations involving communicable disease, accidents with blood spillage, asbestos, harmful chemicals, lead, and biological waste — must undergo a thorough remediation process. In the event that hazmat cleanup is necessary, it is often recommended (or required in some situations) to hire a professional hazmat cleanup technician to safely remove hazardous materials in accordance with OSHA, CSC, health regulations, and state and federal laws.
What is Hazmat Cleanup?
Hazmat cleanup involves remediation of hazardous materials whether they be biological, chemical, radiological, and/or physical and that have the potential to cause harm to humans, animals, or the environment.
Hazardous materials are also defined and heavily regulated in the United States by various governmental agencies:
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)
- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Who Pays for Hazmat Cleanup?
Property owners are usually responsible for hazmat cleanup, removal, transportation, and disposal of biohazardous materials, but every situation is unique.
5 Common Hazmat Scenarios
Blood Spills and Spatter
257 million people worldwide live with chronic hepatitis B, and most people do not even know they have been infected. This is why blood or bodily fluid should be treated as potentially infectious material. Due to the high exposure risk to bloodborne pathogens, remediation for this type of hazardous material is considered a specialty service that requires proper training, equipment, certification, and licensing.
The licensed professionals at CSCU know how to safely and legally contain, decontaminate and remediate all potential pathogens and visible blood from homes and property. Contact our team should you find yourself in immediate need of hazmat cleanup.
Household Cleaners
Household cleaning products and disinfectants like drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, furniture polish, paint strippers, thinners can be particularly dangerous when combined incorrectly. Businesses like dry cleaners, hardware stores, and grocery stores are at an elevated hazmat risk. Misuse through combining or altering the cleaning agents can result in a hazmat incident.
Gasoline/Diesel
According to the TRB Special Report 283: Cooperative Research for Hazardous Materials Transportation, “over 75 percent of all hazardous materials are regularly transported throughout the United States.” Of that 75 percent, gasoline and diesel are the most common and likely to result in a hazmat cleanup situation.
Drugs
Narcotics labs pose serious risks to people, animals, and the environment. Drugs such as heroin, morphine, and fentanyl pose an immediate threat to life. Even small amounts of fentanyl (even vapors emanating from a sealed baggie) can cause irreparable damage to a person if they are exposed to it without proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
Chemical
Chemical spills are some of the most common situations that require hazmat cleanup. Whether from large-scale oil spills or leaks in laboratory facilities, these situations pose serious health risks to the surrounding area. Chemical spills tend to be the most urgent and require quick action because if left unattended, the corrosive or explosive chemicals could cause fire, injury, illness or even long-term environmental damage (eg. a community’s water supply), depending on the type of chemical spilled.
24-Hour Hazmat Cleanup Assistance
From Harrisburg to Oklahoma City, CSCU provides 24/7 biohazard and hazmat cleanup services in many situations including:
Our skilled hazmat cleanup professionals have specialized training and experience to provide safe and effective hazmat cleanup for your home or business with dispatch centers strategically placed across the U.S. (find a location near you).
800-991-3645
